Breedlove mandolins

[DENNY7P]

if anybody has one-how are they for the money-AMERICAN MADE TOO

[Ivan Kelsall]

As far as i know,they are 100% US made. I've only played one,a Quartz KF & that was over 12 months ago. They are beautiful instruments,if you like 'different' (which i do),the one i played was superbly made & finished & sounded as good as it looked. As i was playing it in a music store,i couldn't really play it loud. If i'd intended to buy it i certainly would have done. I got the impression that it could go as loud as need be. All in all,a very lovely instrument. This is similar to the one that i played,
Ivan62635

[SincereCorgi]

The ones I've played were extremely nice. The aesthetics are so elegant that it looked sort of 'wrong' when I saw one being played by a guy in a flannel shirt and a trucker hat. (Note: that guy was playing it extremely well, so clearly this was not an issue for him.)

[mandohymn]

I have a KO Spirit (black binding, Schertler p/u,) oval hole that is loud, with great sustain. I use it mainly in small, home settings and it is a delight. (I may be sell it only due to downsizing-if you might be interested send me a private message). I recommend any Breedlove.

[Markus]

Recently picked up a Quartz OF [A style, f-holes, natural wood finish]. When I was looking, with around $1k to spend ... it was best-of-class in what I played. I didn't go to Elderly and test everything in that range ... but it was very playable, had a great tone to my ear, and unlike much of it's competition was without physical flaw.

Their looks are a little different [if you're a bluegrass traditionalist, perhaps not for you] ... but they're wonderful mandolins.

In my opinion, my OF is perhaps not the best bluegrass chop mandolin in it's class ... but it had the best bell-like tone for melodic lines. For what I'd like to do with it, it's perfect. When shopping for mandolins, to my hand/ear it played and sounded more like a high-end instrument in terms of quality than the mid-range it's priced with.

It is good to know that used they can often go for quite a steal. I think there's a FF model [one of their f styles] in the classifieds now for $1000 ... what something like an OF [a-style] goes for new. I know I saw an OF like mine go on the classifieds for what I paid new recently ... except this one had a $400 schertler pickup factory installed. Not sure why given their build quality, but IMO they're one of the better used deals regularly around.

[EdHanrahan]

Played a number of them, generally real nice.

Tonally, don't expect that "a Breedlove is a Breedlove". There are differences between models, even if they look similar. I sent back a mail-ordered "Spirit KF" (not in the catalogue) that I expected to sound like the similar-appearing Cascade that I had played, but it didn't. (Killed me, because I was really hung up on the K shape). Expect their modified-F models to sound yet-more different from the K's. Neither is "better", just different. Guess ya gotta hear / play 'em in person.

But I've never heard or played a bad-sounding one, just different. Store near me has a "normal" Spirit, A-body w/ oval hole, that sounds just gorgeous, like its sunburst finish! The whole line may have wider-than-average fretboards, but not sure on that.

[Timleo]

I had a Breedlove FF model, and I can tell you, the bass on that thing was pretty substantial. I got so used to it that when I played other mandolins, I almost felt let down. That being said, the highs on the FF didn't ring out like some other brands, or even my LM400. All in all, the quality was amazing, the sound was great, and the price was "doable" :))

[DENNY7P]

Sound likes they are about the best for the money

[Markus]

Depends on what you're looking for, really.

While I love my bluegrass, and irish too ... I fool around a lot with friends and we'll play blues, rock, a lot of this and that. For strong melodic lines, my OF has a beautiful tone that reminds me a lot of a certain Tiger guitar I followed around the country.

[Ancient]

I have two Breedlove mandolins. I own the first Orca produced by Breedlove, and a real nice Rogue. I have to say they are very nice instruments and have a very clean sound that is great for recording.

[ColdBeerGoCubs]

A born again Cubs fan? How long were you in Rehab for?

I own an OO. I love the thing. Took it to a "bluegrass" festival last weekend and it was a hit. Not everyone liked the oval hole, but everyone loved the sound and everyone who touched it loved the way it played. It was actually hard for me to get it back from some people.

They are all AMERICAN made, which model were you looking at?

[parttimepicker]

I'm still a novice, but when I decided I wanted to commit to the mando and upgrade from my $60 Stagg I spent a year playing everything I could under $1500 in my area. I ended up with a Quartz FF and I'm very happy with it. I even get compliments on its sound from others who have access to much more expensive instruments (which further reinforces my happiness with it).

[DENNY7P]

I'AM NOT SURE WHAT MODEL. I PLAY COUNTRY-BLUE GRASS-FOLK-IRISH- Good game last night can't beat sweeping the the red birds!! A friend of mine is a card fan. I ask him if chris c went on the DL ,he said no.I told him ,i didn't think he could go on the DL for getting his feelings hurt!

[SincereCorgi]

They're probably about as good as any USA-made mandolin for the money. Thing is – and this is why I think they're not more popular – for around $600 more you can have a used Collings MT or Gibson A9, which are great, great mandolins, in my opinion.

[Markus]

Well put Corgi. There are some seriously nice mandolins once you get near $2k - especially used.

That's a big limitation on Breedlove's popularity ... as they are on the lower end of US handmade mandolins and so many strive for further up the high-end chain. There's a point of diminishing returns in cost/quality of instruments - many folks can invest a little bit more than most Breedlove's run and thus choose a more expensive point where they draw the line [aka willing to afford].

I think it is useful to note that you'd want to buy a Breedlove because you love to play it vs. as an investment [as opposed to something like a Gibson A9 or Collings MT where resale value is fairly high in comparison].

[JEStanek]

I think the resale percentage is pretty close to even on all three (Breedlove, Gibson, and Collings) around 70% of new price on the used market. A used Colings MT is ~$800-900 (almost double) more than a used Breedlove OF. All three have different voices.

If you have a budget, you need to consider that.

Jamie

[mando.player]

I loved my Breadlove OO for the 2 years I owned it. Sure there are nicer mandos for $600 more, but thats 50% more than the cost of a Quartz. Some folks are struggling to just scrape up enough cash for the Breedlove. Tone is subjective, playability is less so. The Breedloves play like a dream, assuming you like a wider neck.

[drewmando]

Here is video of me messing around on my breedlove quartz FF. I shopped around for a while and after i picked up a breelove i knew that is what i wanted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxlNfhBFd7A&feature=channel

[Markus]

Some folks are struggling to just scrape up enough cash for the Breedlove. Tone is subjective, playability is less so. The Breedloves play like a dream, assuming you like a wider neck.

I couldn't agree more.

I didn't have the cash to go higher, and in my opinion I'd have to spend a couple times the price of my Breedlove OF to get a substantial step up in quality [to my ear] - playability in my hands was exceptional.

If the instrument feels great in your hands, plays like a dream, and sounds nice to you ... who the heck cares what anyone else thinks anyway?

[Marcus CA]

They're probably about as good as any USA-made mandolin for the money. Thing is – and this is why I think they're not more popular – for around $600 more you can have a used Collings MT or Gibson A9, which are great, great mandolins, in my opinion.

When you're talking about prices under $2K, though, $600 is a huge difference.

I had a Quartz OF for a few years, and then bought an FF about a year ago because I'm playing more bluegrass these days. For breaks, the two are about the same to my ear, but the chop chords on the FF sound much crisper.

From what I've read on the Cafe, as well as heard from some players, a lot of people are really turned off by the stylized look of the Breedloves --- especially the satin finish and the modified scroll. If you have $2K, sure, look at the MT's, A9's, even an F9, or a low-end Weber. However, for $1K, the Eastmans or Kentuckys don't even come close to the Breedloves for tone --- to my ear, at least.

[DENNY7P]

I"am going to go play a breedlove amer-series oo this has the oval hole at guitar center.I have a MK a model with f holes and alvarez
f style with f holes and mandocaster and a gold tone mandobanjo this should cover all bases,THANK TO ALL THE REPLIES